Snow day is practice day

So, the weather outside is frightful, and the clouds are not delightful, which means you are stuck at home. Instead of looking at this as a total bummer, use it to work on your short game: chipping and putting.

This month’s column focuses on some great putting and chipping drills that you are able to do at home while you wait for the snow to melt.

Bonus: they can be done while watching Netflix.

Putting:

In order to become a strong putter there are three aspects you need in order to sink those putts which will help lower your score.

Lay down a roll of toilet paper on its side, that hasn’t been unravelled yet. Now take 10 putts at it. If you come across the line or leave your face open or closed the toilet paper roll will wobble forward. If you get back to square at impact your ball will roll much smoother.

Bonus Drill:

In order to see if you are making a solid stroke simply lift one leg in the air (right handed golfer lift right leg.) This will act to de-stabilise you and any unnecessary movements will throw you and your stroke completely off balance. Hit 10 or 20 putts with one foot in the air and see if you are making solid contact.

Toilet Paper Drill # 2:

Lay down a roll of toilet paper and unroll it for 10 squares. Take a marker highlight the middle perforation, that’s impact. If you take the putter back two squares, you have to take follow through two squares.

The benefits of this is it helps keep the putter online because you can see it physically come off the toilet paper, and it helps golfers from pulling across themselves on the follow through making the golfer actually hold the finish towards their target because otherwise your putter would be off the toilet paper.

Wedge or Pitching Wedge:

When it comes to chipping we want to control how far your ball flies and where it lands. Spending time learning how far you fly the ball with different length backswings and different amounts of effort will make you skilled at hitting your landing spot with accuracy which is one of the most important keys to control around the greens

Laundry Basket Drill:

Get some whiffle balls or soft foam balls. Start five-feet away and practice flying balls into your laundry basket, then gradually move back to 10-feet and so on.

Towel Ladder Chipping Drill: Set up multiple towels at different distances away from you: Five feet, 10-feet, 15-feet, and 20-feet. Chip a whiffle ball to the five-foot towel and if you hit it, move on to the 10-foot towel. Try to successful hit all four chip shots onto each of the four towels.